YÖKAK Evaluation Programs

The Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK) conducts evaluation programs aimed at enhancing the quality of higher education institutions in Turkey and ensuring continuous improvement. These programs assess institutions’ compliance with quality standards by covering areas such as education and teaching, research and development, administration, social contribution, and other key processes.

Some of the evaluation programs conducted by the Higher Education Quality Council are listed below. 

Institutional External Evaluation Program (KDDP)

The Institutional External Evaluation Program, conducted by the Higher Education Quality Council, aims to evaluate the education and teaching, research and development, and management processes of higher education institutions. This program requires institutions to be reviewed within the framework of the Institutional External Evaluation Criteria, and higher education institutions are required to participate in this program at least once every five years.

The Annual Institutional Self-Evaluation Reports (KİDR), which are prepared annually, form the foundation of the Institutional External Evaluation Program and are prepared to support the implementation of the program. Higher education institutions approved for participation are selected and assigned by the evaluation team that will conduct the evaluation process. This process consists of two stages: a preliminary visit and an on-site visit. The Institutional Feedback Report (IFR), prepared following the visits, is made public by the Higher Education Quality Council.
Higher education institutions subject to the Institutional External Evaluation Program are included in the monitoring program no earlier than the beginning of the second year following the evaluation year.

Follow-up Program (FP)

Higher education institutions are evaluated through customized Institutional Feedback Reports resulting from on-site visits conducted by the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK). The aim of this evaluation process is to help institutions steer their activities more effectively.

Higher education institutions whose evaluations have been completed under the Institutional External Evaluation Program are included in the Monitoring Program in the second year following the evaluation year. The Monitoring Program aims to assess institutions’ development processes based on the results of the external evaluation. In this context, it focuses on the “areas for improvement” identified in the Institutional Feedback Reports while also taking into account the sustainability of the institution’s strengths.

Institutions that have not been evaluated under the Monitoring Program are not included in the Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP). The monitoring process is carried out through special “monitoring teams” established by YÖKAK. The teams consist of at least two members: one is an experienced member who has previously served as team chair, and the other may be one or more members selected from the pool of evaluators. 

Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP)

The Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP) is an external evaluation method that assesses higher education institutions’ quality assurance, education and teaching, research and development, societal contribution, and management processes within the framework of the “planning, implementation, monitoring, and corrective action” cycle. Evaluation teams formed by the Higher Education Quality Council operate in accordance with the Institutional External Evaluation and Accreditation Criteria and the Institutional External Evaluation and Accreditation Guide.

Higher education institutions selected annually by the Higher Education Council (YÖKAK) are evaluated by assessment teams structured appropriately for each institution. The relevant assessment teams complete the evaluation process by conducting a two-stage visit (preliminary visit and on-site visit).

Following the visits, the evaluation teams prepare Institutional Accreditation Reports (KAR), which are reviewed by YÖKAK to reach an accreditation decision.
Under the Institutional Accreditation Program, YÖKAK may issue the following decisions:

• Full Accreditation (for a period of five years): The institution’s processes have been successfully evaluated and found to comply with the standards.
• Conditional Accreditation (for a period of two years): The institution has been accredited for a limited period to fulfill specific conditions. It is expected that the specified conditions will be met within this period.
• Decision to Deny Accreditation: A decision has been made that, based on the evaluation, the institution does not meet certain standards and accreditation has been denied. In this case, the institution must wait a certain period of time to be re-evaluated after taking specific corrective measures.

Interim Evaluation Program (ADP)

Higher education institutions evaluated under the Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP) and granted full or conditional accreditation are included in the interim evaluation process in the second year following that decision. The primary objective of the interim evaluation is to assess the development of quality processes at institutions that have received a decision of full or conditional accreditation. This process may result in various decisions, such as the continuation of full accreditation, the conversion of conditional accreditation to full accreditation, the continuation of conditional accreditation, the revocation of conditional accreditation, or the continuation of conditional accreditation.

The focus of the interim evaluation includes an assessment of whether improvements have been made regarding the “areas for improvement” identified in the Institutional Accreditation Report (KAR) and the Accreditation Decision Letter. Additionally, the evaluation assesses whether the institution’s strengths have been maintained. The interim evaluation process is conducted using a specific methodology based on the type of accreditation decision issued as a result of the KAP.

For institutions that have received full accreditation for five years, their Institutional Monitoring and Evaluation Reports (IMER) are reviewed by the Institutional External Evaluation and Accreditation Commission. It is determined whether a site visit is necessary, and the Board decides whether a site visit will be conducted as part of the interim evaluation.
In the second year of the interim evaluation, for institutions that have received full accreditation for five years and those that have received conditional accreditation for two years—for which the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK) has decided to conduct a site visit—the interim evaluation is carried out by special interim evaluation teams formed by YÖKAK. These teams consist of at least four members: one member who has previously served as team chair, and the others selected from the pool of evaluators. Members of the interim evaluation team have no conflict of interest with the higher education institution involved in the process.

Source: Evaluation Programs Guide, Version 3.3 (2026)